Azerbaijani media community denies Rakhim Namazov's journalism

Rakhim Namazov, wounded on March 30 in France, had been never engaged in journalism in Azerbaijan, members of the Azerbaijani media community told the "Caucasian Knot". According to the French authorities, Namazov was persecuted in Azerbaijan for his journalistic activities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 30, sources reported an attempt committed in France on the Azerbaijani journalist Rakhim Namazov, who had been granted refuge in this country. When his car was shelled, Namazov was seriously wounded, and his wife also wounded and died in the hospital.

"Rakhim Namazov has nothing to do with journalism. I'm stating this as a person who has been working in the field of media for over 30 years," Aflatun Amashev, the board chairman of the Azerbaijani Press Council, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Mr Amashev suggested that Namazov could obtain refugee status in Europe by naming himself a journalist and presenting a fake journalistic certificate.

Namazov was not a journalist, Mushvig Aleskerli, the head of journalists' trade union of Azerbaijan, has confirmed.

"This person has nothing to do with journalism. In late 1990s, he worked as a distributor for the 'Eliller' (Invalids) newspaper," Mr Aleskerli told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the "Turan" News Agency, Namazov "had three convictions in Azerbaijan on fraud articles."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.